101 Tips for Buying a Used Car

Many people find it challenging when buying a used car. It can be tricky because cars differ in their history. However, You can get a good deal when purchasing a used car by following these tips:

1. Make sure you do not get trapped due to lack of information when buying a used car.

2. Always do the research. Doing the research for a used car will help you make a good decision.

3. Educate yourself with the cars and get information about the current prices. Take notes on everything and do not forget anything.

4. Do not take the car research for granted, even if you know which car make and model you want to buy.

5. Just use price to know if anything is in your range or not.But, do not consider it too much.

6. Go to manufacturer website, find reviews and what people are saying about it. Locate as much information as possible.

7. After you have found particular makes and models you want for the research, it is time to go for the prices.

8. Search for the lowest price for the car that you are considering to buy.

9. You can use online sites to price your used car, go to the website and price the car.

10. Do not research only in your local area or state. You may find a demand for a particular car lower somewhere else. It can benefit you.

11. Always use credible sources for information. You may get stuck somewhere when buying a used car.

12. Do not be in the rush when doing research for the used car. Take your time to make a good deal.

13. Do not just research for a car just for the sake of it. Do not wait for the weekend or any other time. Do it with enthusiasm.

14. Confirm your information with two or other sources. Collect as much credible information as possible because you are going to use that information later when negotiating for the car purchase.

15. Always remember that the whole point of doing a used car research is to find your car at the lowest price.

16. Pick the calculator and start getting what your income and expenses are. Income is the amount you take home after paying all the taxes.

17. You need to define how much you have and what you want to spend on a used car. The expensiveness of a car should not be the reason for buying the car, there may be other priorities.

18. You can get a monthly loan if you are not getting enough to pay for the car. Your primary focus should be on monthly payments.

19. You should follow the rule of not spending more than 15% of your monthly income on your loan payments. Consider other payments you make on monthly basis.

20. Understand the full cost of buying a car. It can make a big difference in the shopping results.It will give you the confidence to negotiate confidently.

21. There are initial costs that may include tax, registration and title fees, documentation fees, and other fees like this.

22. Maintenance, car insurance, monthly payment, registration renewal and other costs like this can make a major difference.

23. Call your insurance company and get an estimate of premium that you have to pay. It can be lower if your car has a good safety history.

24. You need to get your car serviced regularly. It may not be daily, but you should get it serviced to maintain it well. Service can be once in a year.

25. Do you want to park the car in a garage or a nearby parking area? What are the costs for parking?

26. Assess your needs before making the purchase for a used car. What are your requirements for the purchase of this car? Do Are you buying it for the family, a cheap car or a sporty style car?

27. Do you need to run it on highways for long journeys or small roads in your city? You should decide what you want to do.

28. What is better for you? A petrol or a diesel car? The fuel you choose can make a big difference when you choose to buy a used car.

29. Do you need a large roomy car or just a small car for only a few peoples? Do you need to fix equipment into it or any other thing?

30. Do you want to buy an eco-friendly car? A hybrid or electric car could be an option. It can make a major difference.

31. Private parties are more often to sell and they can in a hurry to sell the car at a price that is lower. So, you can get a lower price when dealing with a private owner.

32. A private owner may even sell the car at a lower price than your expectations. It may be due to not doing research when selling the car.However, it is to your advantage.

33. The number of owners has a major factor when dealing with a private owner. Few number of previous owners mean car may be through less wear and tear.

34. You can talk with a private owner more deeply about the car problems it may have. With some quick questions, you can get information about how the car has been through. It is important because maintenance history is a mystery many a time.

35. You can get out of the hype of buying a great car when dealing with a private owner. You just get what you pay for. It is to your advantage because you do not expect something extraordinary.

36. How many kilometers on the odometer? Age of car has something to do with the years it has traveled.

37. Ask the owner if he/she is the original owner of the car. You should ask questions about the car oil-change intervals and maintenance habits.You should ask for the ownership history.

38. Ask the owner for service records. Owner of the car should have at least some receipts of the car service. Beware when a seller has not any records.

39. Ask the owner you allowed to take a test drive.  You should walk away if the answer of the owner is no. He is probably hiding something. Drive the car on different roads for a fitness or mechanical test.

40. Ask the owner for the reason of car sale. It can have an impact on the purchase price. If the owner is going to buy a new car, he will probably try to get a good amount on his used car.

41. Ask the owner about the involvement of the car in an accident. Has the car been involved in any accidents? Seller may say anything, but if you look at car carefully you can get an idea of the car if it has been involved in any crash previously.

42. Are you allowed to take the car to your mechanic for a test? It is better to test the car by your mechanic before you make the purchase.

43. You can have major benefits with dealers as they provide extended warranty on cars sometimes.

44. Dealers allow you to choose in a large inventory of cars and do the best you can at the very time. You have a better chance of finding a used the car when dealing with a dealer due to huge inventory.

45. Dealership stands behind the car if you get into the problem within a short period of time.

46. Dealers have to maintain their reputation, so you can expect high quality when dealing with a car dealer.

47. A dealership can provide you additional discounts. You can save too much when dealing with a used car dealer. Especially you can get a significant discount when buying cars in bulks.

48. A dealership has major benefit of doing paperwork for you.

49. You need to ask questions to the dealer before making the purchase.

50. Ask the dealer about the previous owner of the car. You should be ready to get in touch with the car owner. If they bought it at an auction get all the details about it.

51. Ask the dealer, how long a test drive you are allowed to take? See if dealer allows you to take the car for a test drive. Prove to them that you will get it back the way you are taking it.

52. Ask for the car history report when dealing with a dealer. A bad dealer may be reluctant to provide it. But, a reputable dealer will provide it to you.

53. Ask the dealer about their cash purchase of that particular car. Dealers may offer you different financing options, but you can save on cash. If they are offering to finance you should ask why and how you can get. Cash is to your advantage, but financing can also be to your advantage.

54. Ask the dealer about the equipment you will be getting with the car. See what new equipment a dealer has to offer. Maybe you can get a set of new tires, or a timing belt can be a nice touch.

55. Ask the dealer about the services dealership has performed since its purchase. This question will determine what value you can get for your purchase.

56. Ask the dealer if you can trade-in the car? It can make it easier for you to do everything. Probably you can get a good value by doing this if you hate the car purchase especially.

57. Negotiate wisely. Obviously, you do not want to pay the sticker price. But, where to begin. Keep in mind that opening number can be a deciding factor in your purchase.

58. Once you get a dollar figure you cannot go lower on it. It is why you cannot ask the seller to name the price first. This way you can make it sure you are not starting high. You can get a price that may be less than the sticker price of the car.

59. Mention any name of a famous guide to used cars when negotiating. Show that you have done your homework and now you are ready to make your purchase. Thanks to the internet for many of these helpful guides.

60. You should ask tough questions about the car. Try to get the salesman open about the price of the car.

61. Leave the car lot if they are trying to get over you too much. If they are trying to show that they are in control you should be ready to leave the sales cubicle.

62. Be ready to leave the car lot. Never finalize a deal without leaving the car lot. Just tell the salesperson that price is not what you were expecting and you are going to see if you can find a better deal at somewhere else. Make it sure they have your cell phone when doing so because they will have to call you for giving you some other options.

63. Do not get stuck on a single dealership. Always shop at more than one dealership. Make it sure dealers you choose to know about each other.

64. Getting to a few dealerships will get you to the real price of the car that you want to purchase. It will also help you prevent paying too much for a car.

65. You should provide a reason for the figure you are going to throw out. Do not speak after presenting that figure. Your goal should be the seller to accept or counter offer a figure.

66. Never accept the first offer dealer makes to you. Offer them something that is higher than that.

67. The timing of the purchase can have a major effect. You can get a good deal at the end of the month. Dealers may provide you something regarding that.

68. You need to be careful when inspecting a car. Check the service history report. Are there any large gaps in service history records?

69. Make it sure that car is on ground level before you start inspecting. You can get to see everything clearly by doing so.

70. The paint job of the car is important to take a look at. Take into view any dents, scratches or rust spots. Clean the car so the paint can be visible. Run your finger along the edges.

71. The car trunk is important to take a look at. Make it sure it is still in good condition. If there is wear inside the car it may be an indication of the usage of the car.

72. Tires of the car are important to check. Take a look at the car tires, they should be worn evenly and match. Aso look at the surface of the tire for feathering. Take a flashlight and look at the wheels for rust.

73. Get under the car and check for the exhaust system and any under-body rust. Black spots on the exhaust system can indicate leaking. It is also a time to inspect the frame.

74. Check the body area with a magnet. If you think it has been patched with a body area you can get to it. A magnet will not stick the area that is patched with body filter.

75. Check all the lights if they are working. Make sure all light lenses and reflectors are intact and not cracked.

76. Check the car hood for any indication of rust, damage or dents. If there are any it means the car has not been taken care properly.  

77. Check hoses and belts for any cracks. Look at radiator hoses they should not be soft.

78. Check the engine for any sort of leaks or corrosion. Look at the engine block for any dark brown oil stains, this indicates that there are leaks in the gasket and could possibly lead to major problems in the future. Check the brake fluid to make sure it is not leaking.

79. Pull the transmission dipstick, the fluid should be pink or red. It should smell or look burnt although and oil car may be dark. Make it sure it is full.

80. The timing belt is an important part of the engine. You do not have to worry if the car is equipped with a steel timing chain.  

81. A musty, moldy and mildewy smell could indicate water leaks. Remove the floor mats and look for wet spots on the carpet.

82. Some odors can be hard to get rid off. It is better to check another car if you do not like the smell.

83. Check all the seats with care and make sure everything is working fine and you can drive without any problem.

84. Check the car air condition to make sure it is working fine. Switch it on and make sure it quickly blows cold.

85. Check the heater by turning it on when the engine is running. Check how it gets and how quickly.

86. You may like it or not but it is important to check sound system of the car. Check radio reception by turning on AM and FM. Try ejecting a CD if there is a CD player.

87. Check car odometer for mileage. It is important to note because mileage indicates the age of the car.

88. Use your nose as well as your ears. Check for any water entry signs.

89. Do not forget to take the car to an independent mechanic that works in the field. The dealer should have not any problem allowing you to do so.

90. If a private seller is reluctant to allow you to inspect the car that is not a good sign.

91. Always try to perform an inspection through a mechanic even if costs huge.

92. Buying a used car without test driving is like diving into a river without knowing how deep it is. A thorough test driving is critical in the purchase decision.

93. Test driving the car is necessary to make sure everything is working fine.

94. You should compare all the vehicles on the same day so you can make a better comparison.

95. Self-driving a used car is important because a warranty is not provided along with it.

96. Make a list of things that you need to take a look at during your test drive.

97. Before taking a test drive first thing you need to make sure is that you can sit comfortably in the car seat. Is there enough legroom for you and you are in a good position when gripping the steering wheels and reaching the brakes.

98. Make it sure that all the functions of the car are working properly before you take a test drive. Check for any non-functioning features that you can use to negotiate the price.

99. Start the car engine and listen for any weird sounds that feel ordinary. Not only engine, also focus on other parts of the car.

100. Check for the excessive smoke when the car is running.

101. Take the car to an open parking road and check let go of the steering wheel if it pulls down on one side.

Make sure car has been transferred to your name before you leave the car lot. It is also necessary to look at other legal matters to avoid any problems in the future.